In a recent news story on the PC World website, they have revealed some "ugly truths" about printers, printer ink, and more. They offer some helpful tips for the consumer to see if they really did get the deal they thought when they bought the printer that was "the one".
Cheap Printer = Costly Ink
Chances are if the maker of a printer offered it to you at a low price, they are going to have to offset the revenue from the printer with something else, like the ink. The formula is simple, divide the cost of the cartridge by the number of pages the manufacturer says it will yield. Some companies like HP are more open about page yields per cartridge, and some are more secretive, like Canon. Based on the standards discovered, PC World reported:
For Inkjet printers:
Plain black text: 4 cents to 5 cents per page
Simple four-color page: 12 cents to 14 cents per page
Monochrome laser/LED printers:
Plain black text: 1 cent to 2.5 cents per page
Color laser/LED printers:
Plain black text: 2 cents to 3 cents per page
Simple four-color page: 12 cents to 15 cents per page
If your printer meets or exceeds these standards in the right direction, that's great, but if it doesn't, a different printer may be in order.
Small capacity cartridges=Higher cost of a page
If you are a home or small business that does not have to print many documents
or the like, you probably won't notice, and even if you did, it may not matter
since the cartridge will last a while. If you are in a situation where high
print volume is standard, according to PC World, you should look for ink cartridges
that will yield at least 250 pages and laser toner that will yield at least
2000. Many printer brands will offer higher-yield or extra large (XL) cartridges
as they are sometimes called which are the same ink, just more of it.
Paper issues
Another way printer manufactures get you is through the paper. If the printer you own doesn't get the best quality on regular paper, then that could be another sign that you need to go in a different direction. The majority of printers are fine printing on regular paper.
Printer speed
There are numerous times where a vendor has quoted one print speed (draft mode), and the actual speed (normal quality jobs) in someone's home or home office differs greatly. So, when buying a printer, be sure to weigh that factor into your decision as well.
Paper trays
Another method used by printer manufacturers to cut cost is through the paper trays. Some models will use very cheap materials, even very pliable plastic, which won't hold up over time. You may also find that the manufactures do not make sturdy enough trays to hold a reasonable amount of paper.
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